Pleat retainer for garments



Jan, 3, 11950 c. D. GILBERT PLEAT RETAINER FOR GARMENTS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Dec. 29, 1948 INVEN TOR. CAARA'Efl 6245527 Patented Jan. 3, 1956UNITED STATES Aren't OFFICE 6 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved pleat retainer for garments andhas for one of its princi pal objects the provision of means wherebypleats when sewn into garments will be retained therein to thesatisfaction of the user and in a simple yet efiicient manner.

One of the important objects of this invention is to provide in agarment having pleats means for reinforcing the pleated structurewhereby unsightly bulging of the pleats due to pressure is eliminated.

Another and still further object of the invention is to provide areinforcing construction for garments, particularly trousers and slacks,whereby pleats built into the garments will always retain a neatappearance while at the same time an actual additional support for theadjacent portions of the body of the wearer is provided.

Yet another object of the invention is the provision in a pair ofpleated trousers or slacks of reinforcing means whereby the pleats areheld in desired relationship and which reinforcing means will notinterfere in any way with the incorporation or use of the ordinarypockets which form a part of the garment.

Other and further important objects of the invention will be apparentfrom the disclosures in the accompanying drawings and followingspecification.

The invention, in a preferred form, is illustrated in the drawings andhereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front View of a pair of trousers having pleats and havingincorporated thereinto the reinforcing structure of this inventionwhereby the pleats are held in desired relationship at all times.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken approximately on the line 22 ofFigure lshowing the pleat construction, the reinforcing element and therelationship of the pockets to the remainder of the structure.

Figure 3 is a sectional view somewhat similar to Figure 2 but showingthe reinforcement of this invention applying to a pair of trouserswherein the pocket opening is located at the side seam of the trousers.

Figure 4 is a side view of the pair of trousers showing a furtherembodiment of the invention and illustrating the structure thereof asapplied to trousers having a pocket located at an angle to the sideseam.

Figure 5 is a front view of a pair of women's 2 invention appliedthereto for the purpose of holding the pleats in desired relationship.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken approximately on the line %6 ofFigure 5 showing the reinforcement of this invention incorporated intothe structure of the slacks of Figure 5.

As shown in the drawings:

' The reference numeral It! indicates generally a pair of trousershaving pleats l2 and I l incorporated thereinto adjacent the waistlineand extending downwardly therefrom. The pleats l2 are of greater sizeand. are longer than the pleats M. v

Mounted behind the pleated structure and on each side of the fly of thetrousers is a sheet of reinforcing material, preferably strong cloth, asshown at it. This cloth is so woven and so positioned that there willpractically be no stretch thereof. in a horizontal direction when thesame is incorporated into the trousers.

One edge of the reinforcing sheet I 6 is attached to'the trousersadjacent the fly by a line of stitchi'ng indicated at 18 and the otheredge is fastened to the trousers by another line of stitching 20adjacent the side seam of the trousers. This construction is similar onboth sides.

Pockets 22 are incorporated into the structure of the trousers, and inthis particular case the pockets are shown as slightly forward of theside seam of the trousers with the pocket opening approximately parallelto the seam. The pocket openings are cut through the sheet ofreinforcing material It so that the pocket structure itself can beincorporated into the trousers in the usual manner, as shown at 24.

However, it will be noted that the reinforcing element extends above thepocket opening, this being stitched to the trousers along a line closelyadjacent to the top edge thereof as shown at 26. This'line of stitchingmay be eliminated and obg viously there is no connection between thelower edge of the reinforcing sheet 46 and the material of the trousers.The seams along the edge of the fly and the seams at the sides aresufficient to hold the sheet in desired position and to afford thenecessary reinforcing action. The reinforcing sheet may also stop shortof the upper edge of the trousers so long as it extends above the upperend'of the pockets 22.

In Figure 3 the pocket 28 is located adjacent the side seam of thetrousers, and reinforcing sheet 3!! extends from the fly completelyacross the front half of the trousers to the side seam thereof adjacentthe pocket opening. Lines of slacks showing the improved reinforcementof this stitching 32 and 34 hold the sheet of reinforcing 3 material indesired position, there being no stitching at the top edge or at thelower edge. The pocket itself is illustrated at 36 and the pleats at I2and M respectively.

In Figure 4 a further modification of the pocket structure isillustrated. In this embodiment the pocket opening 38 is at an angle tothe side seam 40 of the trousers and the reinforcing sheet 42 extendsfrom the fly to the side seam 40 being attached along theselines byvertical stitching. The upper edge of the reinforcing sheet 42 is, inthis instance, below the top line of the trousers and is not attachedthereto by stitching.

In Figures 5-6 the reinforcing sheet of this invention is shown asapplied to a pair of womens slacks 44.

The reinforcing sheet is indicated at 46 and extends clear across thefront of the garment from one side seam to the other being fastened atthese points by lines of stitching 48 The pleats are shown at s'z and 54and in this particular showing pockets 5B are indicated, the openingsfor these, pockets being shown at 5B and in this particular embodimentlocated slightly forward of the side seams and parallel thereto.

Obviously the location and arrangement of the pockets can be varied in'womens slacks as well as in mens trousers without interfering with theaction of the reinforcing structure of this invention. In thisembodiment unsightly bulging is effectively prevented and the pleats arealways retained in their original neat form and relationship. I

It will be evident that herein is provided a marked improvement inth'econstruction of garments of this type, particularly trousers and slacks.No matter how carefullythe pleatswere incorporated into such garments itinevitably happened that they would pull open during wear particularlyif a rather tightfit ensued and also whenever there was considerablemovement on the part of the wearer This resulted in uns'ightly bulgingwhich was objectionable 'fromtlie point of neatness, and even frequentpressings did not remedy the 'difiiculty. I

I am aware that many changes be made and numerous details ofconstruction varied throughout a wide range \iiithciit departing fromthe principles of this invention and I therefore do not purposelimiting'the patent grantedthereon otherwise than as necessitated bythep'rio'i'v art.

I claim as my invention:

1. Means for retaining "pleats in traa-s rsarra slacks comprising areinforcing sheet "applied to the garment behind the pleated structure,'the ends of said sheetbeing fastened to the-garment by stitches alongthe side seams of the garment, said sheet having slitted openingstherein for pocket entry.

2. Means for retaining pleats in trousers comprising a reinforcing sheetapplied to the garment behind the pleated structure, said sheet beingfastened to the garment at its ends, the fastening means comprisingstitches along the side seams of the garment and adjacent the pocketopenings, at one end and the fly opening at the other end.

3. Means for retaining pleats in garments, said means comprising areinforcing sheet fastened to the garment adjacent the pleats, saidsheet being practically non-stretchable in at least one direction, theends of said sheet being fastened to the garment by stitches along theside seams of the garment, a slitted opening in the sheet for pocketentry and a pocket mounted in the garment adjacent the slitted opening.

4. In a pleated trousers and slacks construction means for reinforcingthe pleats, said means comprising a sheet of cloth fastened to thegarment behind the pleats, said fastening means comprising verticallines of stitching at the ends of the sheet, a slitted opening in thesheet for pocket entry, apocket fastened to the garment adjacent theslitted opening and further lines of stitching connecting the sheet tothe pocket edges.

5. In a pleated trousers and slacks construction means for reinforcingthe pleats, said means comprising a sheet of cloth fastened to thegarment and positioned behind the pleats, said fastening meanscomprising vertical lines of stitching, a pocket opening in the sheetand additional lines of stitching between the garment and the sheet,said additional lines of stitching being adjacent the pocket opening.

6. In a pleated trousers and slacks construction means for reinforcingthe pleats, said means comprising a sheet of cloth fastened to thegarment and positioned behind the pleats, said fastening meanscomprising vertical lines of stitching, one of the said lines ofstitching being at the side seam of the garment, a slit for a pocketopening in the sheet, said slit being adjacent the side seam of thegarment, and additional lines'of stitching between the garment and thesheet, said additional lines of stitching being adjacent the pocketopenings, with a portion of the sheet extending above the upper end ofthe pocket. H

CHARLES D. GILBERT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

' UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,064,721 Ber Dec. 15, 19362,410,226 Martin Oct. 29, 1946

